It is so wonderful to see graduation pictures on social media of brothers and sisters graduating from high school and college. As one step in life is completed, it leads to another challenge. As long as we have a purpose or can be guided to a good purpose, we will continue to grow.
I recall asking one of my African college students did he plan to stay in America after he finished his pharmacy degree. He said, “No, I plan to go back home to Africa. They try to bring so many types of medicine to my country,” he said, “I want to be able to determine what’s good for my people.”
This young man’s determination to take his skill and knowledge back to his country bears witness to what the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad said in “Message to the Blackman in America” about our purpose if we go to college. On page 57, the Messenger said, “We must give the benefit of our knowledge to the elevation of our own people.”
He continued saying on that same page, “Presently in this country, in almost all of the major universities and colleges, there are thousands of young students from Africa and Asia. Yet, as young, primitive, and backward as we say these countries of Africa and Asia might be, their students here are returning to their shores. Their intent and purpose is to give their people the benefit of their learning.”
How can you use the knowledge you have just gained? Is there a problem that you can help solve? As we see this world’s system falling, a question we can ask is what can I build to help myself, my family and my people?
Practical application is emphasized in many of the early Study Guides from the course of “Self-Improvement: The Basis for Community Development.” The goal each week would be to use the information in our everyday lives and report on it for the next week. There are so many areas in which we need to develop because many in this society are not concerned about us gaining knowledge to benefit our community.
They are only concerned about monetary gain. Study this paragraph from the book, “Closing the Gap” by Brother Jabril Muhammad found on page 321. It gives us an understanding of the highest form of communication and the highest level of activity:
“And so the highest form of communication is to speak on, ask questions about, argue over what God has revealed to His servant. Perfecting our understanding of what God has revealed to His servant. Perfecting our understanding of what God reveals increases the level of energy. Hearing it, knowing it, and believing it, is one level, but understanding it and applying it, is the highest level of activity.”
Let us “study to learn and learn to apply” and get knowledge for life! May we all be blessed to find our purpose and help others along the way.
Dr. Audrey Muhammad is an educator, writer, fitness trainer and editor of Virtue Today Magazine. Contact her at [email protected] or visit www.virtuetodaymag.com.
